Test new boy Warner (47 not out) and embattled fellow left-hander Hughes made the most of their opportunities despite both men having some hairy moments at the crease.

Michael Hussey told Grandstand that Australia's openers did a solid job on Sunday afternoon but there is still work to do.

"It's been a great opening partnership that's for sure, to be none for 70-odd," he said.

"Obviously the ball has moved around a lot, particularly the new ball.

"It's been a great start by the boys but it is just the start. There's still movement out there [and] we're going to have to make sure we build some good partnerships tomorrow."

Hussey says he hopes Australia can carry its momentum into Monday.

"To get off to a good solid, positive start would be fantastic - that'd be the ideal start for us," he said.

"That's up to Phil and Davey Warner ... if they can get through that first half hour that would be a huge start for us.

"But I think Test match cricket is going to be tough. There is still movement out there so you're going to need a little bit of luck."

With the selection axe hanging precariously over Hughes, the struggling 23-year-old made a visible effort not to chase outside off stump, leaving many deliveries as he carved out a nervy but useful 20.

With Australia having two days and a session up their sleeves to reel in the Black Caps, Hughes can afford to take his time and bat for his continued place in the side.

Warner did the bulk of the scoring, using his powerful strokeplay to find the boundary eight times as he approached a maiden Test half-century.

But Hughes too showed flashes of his potential as a Test opener, scoring three fours of his own including one glorious cover drive off Trent Boult.

Hughes could consider himself lucky on two occasions though, having avoided being ruled caught behind off nemesis Chris Martin and later streaking in to avoid a run-out by a metre.

New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor elected not to review the caught-behind appeal in the third over of the innings, assuming incorrectly that the nick he had heard was a glance off Hughes' thigh pad.

But Hot Spot replays indicated the ball had in fact brushed Hughes' glove on the way down the leg side.

Rain had delayed the start of the session after the two sides went to lunch, and the wet outfield seemed to play havoc with New Zealand's bowlers as they changed the soggy ball twice during the session.

Fast start

Their victory target was set up by superb bowling in the first session as Australia took 7 for 87 before lunch.

Taylor and Kane Williamson (34) came to the crease on Sunday morning to resume proceedings at 3 for 139, a total lead of 153.

But Williamson departed on a loose stroke in the first over trying to play away Peter Siddle (3 for 66), sending an edge to Ricky Ponting who dived to his right to secure the catch.

Taylor batted on gallantly and reached his 50 off 142 deliveries, his knock the longest in the Test and while not flashy it was effective in dragging his side towards a respectable total.

The captain and Dean Brownlie stuck around for nearly an hour and a half that produced 32 runs for the fifth wicket before Taylor, who had looked very comfortable, eventually fell victim to Pattinson for 56.

The young Australian quick finished with 3 for 54 after he also bagged the key wicket of Brownlie (21), who could easily have proven the thorn in Australia's side after his first-innings 56.

Nathan Lyon was thrown the ball half an hour before the lunch break in an attempt by Clarke to shake up the tail-end, but it was Siddle who made the first breakthrough when he trapped Reece Young in front for 9.

Off spinner Lyon (3 for 25) then stepped in to take the last three scalps, two in three balls when he had Southee caught on the boundary for 13 and then Doug Bracewell for 4 two deliveries later.

Hussey praised his team-mates' dedication to lifting their energy in the middle on Sunday morning.

"We definitely wanted to bowl with a lot of discipline and a lot of patience, and we wanted to bowl as many maidens as we could," he said.

"We were probably a little bit flat in the field yesterday afternoon and it was a real goal of the team to try and be as upbeat and create as much energy in the field as we could."

While Southee's slashing performance was somewhat characteristic - the right-hander belted Lyon for a six and a four before holing out to Hussey - Bracewell more or less threw his wicket away with a rash stroke that had him bowled middle stump.

It would not have been a welcome sight for Taylor, whose pace battery was immediately under pressure to produce quick wickets to defend a middling total on a pitch that was becoming advantageous for batting.